Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising: a crude, politically incorrect Seth Rogen comedy about a sorority moving next door to the previous film’s couple (played by Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne). The plot is remarkably similar to the first Neighbors: including several returning gags as well as themes on friendship and parenthood. I mentioned in my Zoolander 2 review how recycling from previous films is almost always a nail in the coffin for comedy sequels—well here’s a film that puts the “almost” portion to work.
Neighbors 2 is similar to its predecessor, yet has enough refreshing material to distinguish itself as more than a mere rehash. Nonetheless, the callback jokes are done in a thought-out, witty manner, such as Rogen’s work place freaking out over the possibility of another airbag prank. The comedy works best thanks to its performers, with the original cast once again delivering witty dialogue and banter (I laughed at the characters trying ridiculously in vain to spell sorority, and then laughed again when I fruitlessly tried myself). Rogen and Byrne reaffirm what a great comedy team they make, having considerable chemistry and energy while effortlessly bouncing off each other's brand of humor. Zack Efron returns to deliver another funny, though notably more serious, performance—with several predictable, yet nonetheless humorous scenes such as him running to sappy music or crying to The Fault in Our Stars during sorority movie night.
Dave Franco returns to play a supporting role, with his character now engaged, to a guy—which made me do a double take since I couldn’t, for the life of me, remember his character liking men in the original (there was definitely some intense bromance, but no actual bro-romance). After doing some research, it turns out his character wasn’t gay in the original, or at least not established as such. Seems director Nicholas Stoller decided to make Franco’s character gay (or bi?) after being asked why he never had a gay character in his previous films. Turns out the change fits Franco’s character effectively well, in addition to being a rare instance where an openly gay character is best friends with a straight male.
The film wisely chose Chloë Grace Moretz to play the sorority's leader Shelby, who gives a very likable and humorous performance alongside her two friends (played by Kiersey Clemons and Beanie Feldstein). Friendship is a significant theme in the Neighbors series, and the film does a terrific job conveying the sorority trio’s bond, in addition to the ex-fraternity member’s friendship. Like its predecessor, Neighbors 2 is both raunchy fun and genuinely sweet, making me laugh and feel good about life by its conclusion.
The film wisely chose Chloë Grace Moretz to play the sorority's leader Shelby, who gives a very likable and humorous performance alongside her two friends (played by Kiersey Clemons and Beanie Feldstein). Friendship is a significant theme in the Neighbors series, and the film does a terrific job conveying the sorority trio’s bond, in addition to the ex-fraternity member’s friendship. Like its predecessor, Neighbors 2 is both raunchy fun and genuinely sweet, making me laugh and feel good about life by its conclusion.